Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer device that transfers a fine transfer pattern, and a molded material on which the fine transfer pattern is aimed by the transfer.
Description of the Related Art
Research and development of a nanoimprint technology are being carried out, in which a fine or ultrafine transfer pattern is formed on a quartz substrate by electron beam lithography to prepare a mold, and the mold is pressed against a molded product at a predetermined pressure, so as to transfer the transfer pattern formed on the mold to the molded product.
There is known a transfer device 301 as shown in FIG. 13. The transfer device 301 includes a vibration isolator 302, a base (a substrate holding chuck) 303, a transfer unit 305 and a mold support unit 307.
The base 303 is integrally provided on the vibration isolator 302 to hold a plate-like molded material 309 by, for example, vacuum suction.
The transfer unit 305 includes a pair of rollers 311A and 311B that rotate, by way of a servomotor (not shown in the figure), about central axes C13a and C13b extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of paper of FIG. 13, a roller drive unit 315 that vertically moves and positions the pair of rollers 311A and 311B by way of a servomotor 313, and an ultraviolet ray generation unit 317. The roller 311B is a backup roller.
The transfer unit 305 (the pair of rollers 311A and 311B and the ultraviolet ray generation unit 317) is configured to be movable to be placed in any position on the vibration isolator 302 by way of a drive unit including a servomotor (not shown in the figure) in the horizontal direction (in the right-left direction in FIG. 13).
The mold support unit 307 supports a mold 323. The mold 323 is formed into a thin plate-like shape, and is provided with a fine transfer pattern (not shown in the figure) formed on one surface in the thickness direction (in FIG. 13, the lower surface of the mold 323).
The mold support unit 307 includes a first chuck 319 and a second chuck 321.
The first chuck (the mold holding body) 319 is located on one side (on the right side in FIG. 13) of the upper surface of the vibration isolator 302 and separated from one end (the right end in FIG. 13) of the base 303. The first chuck 319 holds one end (the right end in FIG. 13) of the mold 323.
The second chuck 321 is located on the other side (on the left side in FIG. 13) above the upper surface of the vibration isolator 302 and separated from the other end (the left end in FIG. 13) of the base 303. The second chuck 321 includes a mold holding body 325, a rotation support body 327, a pillar 329 and a pillar support body 331.
The mold holding body 325 holds the other end of the mold 323. The rotation support body 327 supports the mold holding body 325. The mold holding body 325 supported by the rotation support body 327 rotates about its central axis C13c extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of paper of FIG. 13 together with the rotation support body 327.
The pillar 329 supports the rotation support body 327. The rotation support body 327 is moved and positioned on the pillar 329 in the vertical direction by a servomotor (not shown in the figure).
The pillar 329 is integrally provided on the pillar support body 331. The pillar support body 331 is moved and positioned on the vibration isolator 302 by a servomotor (not shown in the figure) in the horizontal direction (in the right-left direction in FIG. 13).
Next, the case where a fine transfer pattern of the mold 323 is transferred to the molded material 309 in the transfer device 301 is explained below.
In the initial state, as shown in FIG. 14, the mold 323 is supported by the mold support unit 307. The molded material 309 is placed on the base 303. The respective rollers 311A and 311B are located towards the right and separated from the right edge of the base 303.
In the initial state, the intermediate part of the mold 323 in the right-left direction is wound on the lower portion of the roller 311A. The distance between the lower portion of the roller 311A and the upper surface of the base 303 in the vertical direction, is set to approximately the sum of the thickness of the mold 323 and the thickness of the molded material 309.
In the initial state, the mold 323 extends from the first chuck 319 to the roller 311A in the horizontal direction, and further extends obliquely upward between the roller 311A and the second chuck 321.
In the initial state, the mold 323 is stretched tight at a predetermined tension. The mold 323 has a predetermined width in the direction perpendicular to the plane of paper of FIG. 14 (FIG. 13, FIG. 15). The mold 323 is not in contact with the molded material 309 placed on the base 303.
From the position in the initial state, the transfer unit 305 moves towards the left in FIG. 14 (together with the respective rollers 311A and 311B and the ultraviolet ray generation unit 317). The roller 311A then holds and presses the molded material 309 and the mold 323 in association with the base 303. The ultraviolet ray generation unit 317 irradiates the molded material 309 pressed by the roller 311A with ultraviolet rays and cures ultraviolet curable resin 333 of the molded material 309. As a result, a fine transfer pattern formed on the mold 323 is transferred to the molded material 309.
After the transfer, as shown in FIG. 15, the transfer unit 305 (the respective rollers 311A and 311B and the ultraviolet ray generation unit 317) is located towards the left and separated from the left edge of the base 303.
While the transfer unit 305 moves from the position of FIG. 14 to the position of FIG. 15, the configuration of the mold 323 is changed. The rotation support body 327 keeps the tension of the mold 323 at a predetermined level in association with the change in state of the mold 323, so as to prevent looseness of the mold 323. In particular, the rotation support body 327 is moved and positioned on the pillar 329 in the vertical direction, and the pillar support body 331 is moved and positioned on the vibration isolator 302 in the right-left direction.
Here, this kind of device and techniques described above are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-280065, and Precision Engineering Journal of the International Societies for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology 25 (2001) 192-199.